Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-02-18
Arkansas Dcspcradocs.

! The capture of the notorious des-
! perado, William Perry, in the mount
aims near Fayetteville, writes Little
Rock Ark correspondent of the
! Louisville Courier. journal, has reviv-
ed interest in one of the bloodiest
Vendettas ever carried on in this
/ State. Perry is member OF n gang
! OF outlaws, who, four years ago,
spread terror through portions OF
! Northwest Arkansas. The trouble
/ dates back more than twenty years.
It's history will bear repetition. Ever
since the first settlement OF the State
/ the Boston mountains has been the
/ haunts of desperadoes OF every de
scription. In their gulches and al
most inaccessible caves the moon
/ sinners" have piled their vocation un-
! disturbed, while refugees and murder
/ ers have there found a secure retreat.
! In the neighborhood OF FayettevIleis
a section of country known as the
West Fork of White River, which,
until recently, has been the
abode OF desperate characters,
who. for years, held the lava biding
people of the surrounding country in
Subsection. Ii was here the vendetta
/ started. Several citizens, growing
weary OF the terrorism inspired by the
/ outlaws, sought to uphold the law
and throw off the yoke. There was
| pitched battle, in which one or two
persons were killed on either side.
! This was the beginning, and occurred
/ probably sixteen years ago; but the
| ill-feelng has scarcely died away even
| to this day. A number OF persons
have yielded up their lives, the most
notable being Deputy Sheriff Mounts
and Marshal W. ID. Patton, and
George and John Reed The last
named were noted outlaws and lead
ers OF the gang which at that time
virtually ruled a wide section OF
country. John Reed had often boast
! ed that there was no officer living who
could arrest him. His capture and
tragic fate is recalled to-day with a
shudder by those cognizant OF the
facts in the case.
The outlaw was in Fayetteville one
evening four years ago. He was drink.
ing and threatening the lives of vari-
Gus people Town Marshal Patton
got the drop on him, as the saying
goes, and before his friends could in.
terfere had him in Jail. In the hall
wav OF the prison Reed broke away
from the guards. A desperate strug-
gle followed. The lights were over.
turned, but the fight went on in the
darkness, bullets flying in every di-
rection. Presently there was an ago
nized cry followed by heavy fall, and,
Jail guard appearing with light,
Reed was found stretched upon the
floor dead, with bullet through his
head. There were no arrests, public
sentiment declaring the killing iustiia-
BILE.
The brothers and friends Of the dead
outlaw swore to avenge his death.
It is alleged that several persons lett
the country to escape their vengeance.
/ On the night OF April 10, 1852, anoth.
er bloody page was added to the his
tory of the vendetta. On that evening
George Reed was in Fayetteville.
Like his brother John, he was an ugly
customer at any time, but particular
ly so when drinking, liquor transform
ing him into a human fury Marshal
Patton attempted to arrest him. He
deiied the officer to take him A fight
! followed, and Patton shot him. He
dying some time later. Patton sur
rendered himself, and was released on
bail, his trial being set for the next
regular term of the Circuit Court.
The shooting OF George Reed created
a sensation. The law-abiding people
felt his death was harbinger ofgood.
1t was readily OWNED that surviving
outlaws would attempt to avenge his
fate; and when it was noised around
that they had sworn to kill Patton,
little surprise was expressed. Hence
forth, however, the Marshal lived in
constant dread OF assassination.
Some weeks passed before another
move was made in this game where
| human life was the forfeit. In May,
1882, the blow was struck. A party
! of five horsemen rode quietly into
Fayetteville at midnight. Deputy
! Sheriff Mounts and Marshal Patton
were standing on the sidewalk engaged
! in coversation. The streets were de-
serted. Many of the citizens were
asleep. The lights disappearing from
the windows of the different dwellings.
The night air reverberated the
noise of the horses feet on the
stony streets. The horsemen paus-
ed in the shadow of some tall
buildings. A signal was given; sew
eral pistol shots rang out. and Patton
and Mounts fell on the ground in the
agonies of death, being literally riddled
with bullets. The assassins rode swift
/ ly away. There was terrible excite
ment, but the murderers were not i'm
mediately apprehended. The capture
of William Perry is the beginning OF
/ the end he being chief of the gang since
the killing OF George and John Reed.
Another member OF the party is under
arrest, and officers are on the trail OF
two more. Perry will be tried soon.
| His conviction, together with that OF
his associates, will extirpate the out
laws. a contamination OF which the
citizens OF Fayetteville and Washing
ton County generally most devoutly
wish. IL is rumored here that
perry's friends will endeavor to release
l.. 4 -. II. IL L